Author |
Share Topic Topic Search Topic Options
|
geewizard
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Location: Spokane
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 347
|
Topic: RPod Axle Issue....why? Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 8:19am |
There are SO many reported Rpod axle issues: bent axles, tire wear, etc.
Why isn't there a class action suit against Forest River for such a obvious design flaw?
How can a company continue to build, and sell, RPods with this flaw?
Why do people continue to buy them?
|
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC
|
|
Ben Herman
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2018
Location: Gr Junction, CO
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 355
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 8:43am |
I think that in numbers, the percent of owners with reported problems is small - we are aware of it here because members post their experiences. But my sense is that most of us will never have this problem. I do hope that FR is paying attention though.
|
|
geewizard
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Location: Spokane
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 347
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 8:53am |
Good point, Ben. I've not had an issue at all.
|
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC
|
|
lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 8:55am |
It is possible that many of the axle problems are the result of "trauma" occurring to the axle in the form of potholes, curbs, rocks, overloading, etc. Cars, in areas where the roads are especially bad, have alignment issues all the time resulting in excessive tire wear, yet no one blames the car companies when a wheel gets knocked out of alignment.
It is possible that the heavier rPods have too low a margin of error in the axle design and may bend too easily, but proving that this is a true design defect is a very costly issue. For every engineer you will find who is willing to testify that in her opinion that the axle is undersized, FR will find 3 or 4 who will say that it's finest axle ever installed on a small travel trailer and exceeds industry standards by orders of magnitude. Who will the jury believe? It is very expensive to prosecute with a class action suit. This is not the kind of case where a contingency fee would be a risk a sensible lawyer would be willing to take. Would you be willing to donate a several years of your income to such a venture?
People continue to buy these trailers because they provide a pretty good value for the money, are certainly of average quality as required by the Uniform Commercial Code, and are not really suffering axle failures at that high a rate. For my money, if I were the owner of a heavier rPod, I'd do the axle reinforcement that StephenH put on his and that some engineers on our board have also suggested. Buying a piece of angle iron, duplicating the axle camber, and attaching it to the axle seems like a much more sensible and cost effective approach. If FR has axle failures at such a rate that it is clear that the heavier trailer axles cannot sustain the forces applied, they will likely go to the next size up at some point. And if the failure rate is high enough, the NTSB will require them to strengthen the axle to avoid accidents.
|
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
|
|
geewizard
Senior Member
Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Location: Spokane
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 347
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:01am |
Good points, Fred.
What do you consider a "heavier RPod"?
|
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC
|
|
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2629
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:11am |
Any of the R-pods with gross weights over 3500 lbs are kind of pushing it with a 3500 lb axle. In theory, the excess is transferred to the tongue, but add a WDH and it shifts back. There is certainly some safety margin built in, but it's awfully close to the line.
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
|
podwerkz
Senior Member
Joined: 11 Mar 2019
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 966
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:49am |
I was in an RV dealership about a week ago and spotted the StarCraft Satellite....which is very similar to the r-pods. I looked underneath and it had a leaf spring axle.
At least that is a good start!
|
r・pod 171 gone but not forgotten!
|
|
crankster78
Senior Member
Joined: 08 May 2018
Location: Minn
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 163
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 9:59am |
Greetings: I have a 2015 179 which has been on many a rough road and has about 12 k on it. So far no problems. I have the lift blocks installed, and have 8 ply tires at 65 psi. I try to be very careful making turns and not running over curbs. This year I installed a Eaz Lift R3 Weight distributing hitch due to my truck being a bit old with 124K on it. I wish I had done this a long time ago. It really improves handling and levels the whole combo. I have enjoyed the 179 and had few problems.
Crankster78 (now 79)
|
Crankster 78 R-179 2015
|
|
lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 10:15am |
geewizard, I defer to our very capable engineers on that one. GlueGuy suggests that Pods with gross weights of over 3500 are "pushing it." He and offgrid know way more than I do about loading limitations on the rPod axles.
We have a 172 that we deliberately keep light so we're not likely to ever be close to exceeding the axle capacity.
|
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
|
|
GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2629
|
Posted: 16 Jun 2019 at 10:29am |
Originally posted by podwerkz
I was in an RV dealership about a week ago and spotted the StarCraft Satellite....which is very similar to the r-pods. I looked underneath and it had a leaf spring axle.
At least that is a good start!
|
We saw one of these last year in N. California. We did not talk to the owners; we seemed to have inverse schedules with our outings. It looks similar to the R-pod in many ways.
|
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
|